good morning. disaster in japan. growing fears of a nuclear meltdown afterme explosion and fire at a nuclear power plant, crippled in the devastated earthquake and tsunami. and the search intensifies, new images emerge of the catastrophe that stunned the world. saturday, march 12, 2011. captions paid for by nbc-universal television

and welcome to "today" on this saturday morning. i'm amy robak. >> and i'm kacarl quintanilla. >> there is a growing fear of nuclear meltdown in the wake of the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami. a fire at one of two nuclear power plants at the epicenter. you can see the explosion in the distance. injuries there. and the wounds and walls have been destroyed. a possible radiation leak. mandatory evacuations in the areas of both plants. >> as for the death toll, at least 1,300 people have been killed. authorities say that number may rise in hours and days ahead. hundreds unaccounted for, and untold numbers of people are stranded. rescue efforts under way to reach them. >> millions across the country without power. officials have lost contact with four trains that were traveling along the coast when that

tsunami hit. i mean, it's hard enough to imagine living through an 8.9 magnitude quake, and then a tsunami on top of that, and then fears of a meltdown. >> putting out the fires and now worrying about the nuclear fears, pretty incredible. >> let's begin with rising fears of a meltdown at one japanese nuclear power plant. pressure at that reactor has been building. radiation level there are climbing. chief environmental correspond anne thompson tracking developments from london. anne, good morning. >> good morning, amy. you laid it out. japan is trying to recover from an earthquake and tsunami, and now it's desperately trying to avoid a nuclear meltdown. 25 hours after the daiichi nuclear power plant in fukushima, this happened. you can see that building explode at the plant. the question is what building

exploded? local government officials say the ceiling of one of the reactors blew off. japanese nuclear safety officials tell the kyodo news agency, no serious damage to the troubled number one reactor. pressure has been building since the quake happened. and earlier in the day, officials released radioactive vapor from the reactor to try and reduce pressure. there have been radiation leaks at that reactor, levels 1,000 levels above normal have been detected in the control room and radiation levels eight times above normal outside the building. the plant is releasing the amount of radiation a person normally absorbs in a year every hour. in the containment of the reactor was damaged, another chernobyl style event is possible.

it happened in the former sov wrote union in 1986. without the building, there is no way to protect all the radio activity from getting into the environment. including sethium 137, aniceo isotope that sticks around for 136 years. six miles around the plant to 15 miles around the plant have been evacuated. general electric developed the reactor. and they are coowner of nbc. they are in a race against time, trying to keep the fuel in the reactor at the tufukishima plan and another one near bye. >> as we said this is the most powerful earthquake on record in japan, and one of the strongest

in history. ian williams in tokyo and saw for himself how impossible it is to move around parts of japan today. ian, good morning. >> good morning, amy. the threat of a nuclear disaster comes as japan is only beginning grasp the full and terrible extent of the destruction from friday's tsunami. japan woke today to images of terrible destruction along its northwest coast. this country has done more than perhaps any other to prepare for this sort of disaster, but nothing could lessen the shock from these scenes. the remains of towns, slammed by friday's 30-foot tsunami, which swept away houses, cars, ships, just about everything in its past. officials warned the death toll is expected to exceed 1,300 people. most of them drowned. up to 300 bodies found saturday along the coast of sendai. closest to the epicenter of the

8.9 quake, strongest ever in japan. a huge operation to rescue those still stranded. helicopters plucking desperate survivors from rooftops of homes engulfed by water. 300 people waiting to be rescued from this hospital, where they had been marooned amid the ruins. we tried to escape by car, but we were caught in the waves and washed away here. other survivors huddled into shelters where they were able to receive basic provisions. many buildings, including an oil refinery, was still burning today. the u.s. geological survey says japan's main islands has shifted eight feet as a result of the quake. there have been at least 125 powerful aftershocks in the last 24 hours. even before today's explosion at a nuclear power plant, the authorities had declared a state of emergency at five nuclear reactors and warned a meltdown.

thousands have been evacuated from their homes nearby. and officials had insisted that while there would be radiation leaks it would be small. scores of countries have offered assistance, including the u.s., which has almost 50,000 troops stationed in japan, amy. >> i understand you traveled about two hours north before you had to turn back. what were your impressions as you tried to make it to the e epicent epicenter? >> well, there has been an awful lot of disruption to transport here and to the infrastructure. it's been taking 16 hours for people to reach even close to the area of the earthquake and the tsunami. that's partly because there is so much traffic on the road and partly because of the destruction to the highway. even close to japan, it took us two hours, 2 1/2 hours, just to get downtown here from the airport. so enormous obstacles for those involved in this relief

operation, amy. >> ian williams, we appreciate it thank you so much. here is carl. >> and the asian bureau chief joins us this morning. >> the quake hit at 2:46 in the afternoon tokyo time. in the middle of what witnesses called a beautiful, calm day. terrified business workers scrambled to safety when the tremors hit. debris and office equipment falling everywhere. in the streets, chaos, as residents tried to dodge bricks and glass crashing to the ground. japan is no stranger to earthquakes with reinforced building designs like nowhere else in the world. but this one was a monster, measuring a magnitude of 8.9, one of the strongest in the

countries's history. and american university professor in tokyo on business, told us the tremors were relentless. >> the shaking got worse and worse. i don't know exactly how long it lasted. it seemed like it went on forever. >> reporter: the country's prime minister, innaoto kan, immediaty issued an emergency response plan. after the shaking came the warning and the wave. a chilling preview of the disaster to come. the target? the city of sendai. hundreds reported missing there. and unbelievable sight. the force of the swirling water sucking boats into its center. one vessel missing with 100 people aboard. the tsunami hit with incredible force. the sludge taking away everything in its past. this wall of water and mud some 30 feet high washed along the

low-lying coastal areas. entire towns swept away. thick and brown, strewn with debris. fast moving, farmland quickly disappeared. entire major roads. bridges and homes. gone in a matter of minutes. the airport at sendai was completely destroyed. workers and others scrambled onto rooftops to try and stay above the mud. a huge file in an oil refinery near tokyo continues to burn. at least 80 other massive fishz still burning along the coastline after the quake cut off gaslines, causing a series of fires leaving homes and businesses aplayed. mass transit down, and in some places trains derailed. with day break, the search for dead and injured is just beginning, not to mention the cleanup which will likely take months if not years.

>> cnbc's tokyo bureau chief. and this american had been in japan just eight days. he was in his apartment building when the quake hit. jared, good morning to you. >> hi, how are you. >> take us back to yesterday. you were in your apartment at the time. you hadn't been through one of these before. what was your experience like. at what point did you become seriously worried? >> it did not take long for me to become seriously worried, because we were as performers here, briefed on basic procedures for earthquakes that happen here all the time. they are minor quakes very frequent here. we were told they last no longer than 10 seconds, to stay putinsiputti inside and it will be over soon. whether this quake started it was very gentle, and almost just

a little bit exciting. but as soon as it passed about 20 seconds and continued to intensify, you know, it really didn't take long for me to know that it was unusual. i don't think the -- the fear really set in until after the most intense part of the initial quake was over and i was able to get outside and onto the fire escape. but there were still some significant movement happening and the concrete outside of the apartment was -- was -- >> was rippling. >> was rippling. >> and once you stepped outside you shot some photographs we have. can you describe what we are looking at? a 7-eleven for instance. >> what you are looking at here this is well after the quake has happened.

that mud-like substance is caused by what i learned is called liquifaction. the soil here is kind of like heavy sand, and when the earthquake hits, it mixes with water and becomes like suspended in water, so all of that sediment looked like water rising up out of the ground, but as the water goes away, it leaves this sand, and as you can see. there are people who abandoned bicycles and stuff during the major part of the quake, and as this sludge kind of rose up and then froze in place, it -- you know, it's trapping vehicles, it's trapping cars. >> it's going to make rescue missions extremely difficult without a doubt. can you tell us briefly -- we'ee hearing all of these reports about the nuclear plant in daiichi.

how much are those fears being translated on the street? a feeling of panic at all? >> well, it's interesting that you say that, because i was out this afternoon for several hours, kind of surveying and buying groceries and the feeling this afternoon was at least for an american on the street who doesn't speak japanese, i was feeling better about the situation. but in the last hour or so, we've sort of been getting word, but really only -- it's kind of mouth to mouth, via the other english-speaking people who are here, there's a lot of information that you just know is lost in translation. there is some emergency announcement being made city wide just in japanese. we are in a complex for performers, and they make all of the announcements here in english, but you can just tell that there is stuff being lost in translation, and personally, i was feeling better until about an hour ago. one of the problems that we're

dealing with here, which is a separate issue from this nuclear one, is that the oil refinery that's on fire or one of them, is closer to us than the nuclear issue, and we were actually told that if it rains today, the chemicals from this oil refinery are in the air, and they are going to rain down. >> oh, my goodness. >> and we can't be outside, because it could potentially be quite harmful to our health if we're just in the rain. and this has nothing to do with the nuclear issue. a completely separate issue. >> multiple hazards to worry about. jared, we appreciate your time and we're hoping for the best for and you all of japan. >> thank you. >> and now amy. >> the relief efforts under way to help the people at japan. suzie defrancis with the american red cross joins us now. good morning. >> good morning, amy. >> the american red cross has been closely monitoring the situation in japan.

they have the japanese red cross there doing a fantastic job. what is the latest on the ground you're hearing from them? >> our hearts go out to the people of japan. they have suffered a devastating blow, and we know there will be great loss of life, homes and property. we have been in contact overnight with the japanese red cross. very experienced disaster relief organization. they have about 50 medical teams out in the affected areas, treating injuries. with earthquakes a lot of injuries. they are distributing already blankets, relief supplies such as hygiene kits and set up a website to help families reconnect. and as we go into days ahead, they'll be staffing shelters, providing food and other kinds of meals. and as i said, they are an extremely capable red cross society, but, of course, something like this can overwhelm them. they will need assistance. >> sure, suzie. given the magnitude of this

earthquake, i have to imagine that disease and contamination are a big concern what is the big priority for relief workers right now. >> right now, it's search and rescue that's not what the red cross says. but you will see workers go in and try to save people in the buildings. they are very well prepared with building codes. are you not seeing pancaked buildings as much as you did with haiti. but obviously search and rescue and getting people into shelters. there are a number of evacuations due to power plants and nuclear plants. but it's really caring for people until they can get back on their feet. and of course there will be psychological care they need as well. suzie, for those watching that want to help, what can people do right now from home? >> yes, amy. the red cross is accepting donations at redcross.org to blake a donation. use your cell phone and text red cross to 90999. and we'll get that money to the japan red cross. it will be put to good use.

>> all right, suzie defrancis, thank you so much. if you are looking to help, also logon to today.com. another option. here is carl. >> amy, thanks. back home, we watched as the tsunami triggered warnings in hawaii and up and down the west coast. miguel almager with more on the impact here at home. >> reporter: in four california counties a state of emergency. more than nine hours after the quake hit japan, the california/oregon border faced the first waves of the tsunami. it swept a 25-year-old man out to sea. is he presumed dead. the destruction measured across the coast. >> i lost all my boats, jet skis. can't keep it. just too strong. >> reporter: in santa cruz, at least six boats capsized. knocked others on their side. some tossed into the harbor. cleanup lasted hours in oregon,

waves as high as eight feet tall rolled into the small coastal town of seaside. streets in downtown deserted. the beaches ordered closed. tsunami warnings jolted many out of bed in the early hours of the morning. >> they woke us up in the middle of the night, and everybody was stre freaking out. >> reporter: hawaii was hit first. houses washed away. boats were capsized. docks destroyed. no reports of serious injuries. the tsunami and its ripple affect also served as a test this is, after all, earthquake country. >> it does appear we got the warnings, they got out in a reasonable amount of time, reasonably accurate and in general were acted upon in a very appropriate, responsible way. >> reporter: the damage out west was minimal, but for many, japan's earthquake was a dark reminder of what could happen here. for "today," miguel almager, santa cruz, california. >> we're following other stories

at this hour as well. >> trish regan with the latest. good morning, everyone. we begin on i-95 in new york. the scene right now of a bus crash that has killed at least 12 people so far. the impact of the crash was so intense that the top of the tour bus was sheared off. the sign posts left standing inside the bus. firefighters are trying to get out any trapped passengers. it's unclear what happened to the driver or what caused the accident. severe flooding gripping parts of the northeast. the worst in new jersey, where rivers still not expected to recede for a few days. the weather channel's eric fisher live in little falls with more. good morning, eric. >> good morning, trish. we're seeing severe flog in northern new jersey. what we see behind me, that is the mighty passaic river. a swift and dangerous current. moving downstream, still rising, expected to crest between 5:00 and 8:00 this evening. a ways to go. another foot of rise is expected

there. this is the scene of many neighborhoods. homes underwater. dozens of roads closed if your house is not underwater, traveling a nightmare because of the closed roads. the good news is, every river because of the passaic, is now falling. improving conditions as we head through the weekend. by the time we get toward monday evening, the passaic will be following quickly as well. trish, back to up. >> eric fisher, thank you so much. daylight saving time begins at 2:00 a.m. be sure to reset the clocks before bed. at least we get longer days, right, guys? back to you. >> i like it when it's light when you are eating dinner, something feels good about that. >> thank you. chris warren with a check of the forecast. >> good morning to both of you. dealing on the west coast with dangerous rip current in the wake of the tsunami. one system in the pacific northwest, look at the steady stream of moisture.

heading northern california sunday. much of >> good morning. here's our tower cam view. looking over the southwest part of the city. beautiful morning today. we'll be warming up nicely through the 40's into the 50's this afternoon, and we'll pick up a few sca that's a look at your forecast. now here's amy. still to come, the day after. the latest on the devastating tsunami, but, first, this is "today" on nbc.

still to come on "today,"

nuclear threats. the latest on the meltdown fears, following the earthquake in japan. >> plus, the quake is the most powerful in a century. are we ready if it happens here? we'll talk about that. but, first, these messages. >> good morning.

i'm lisa robinson. it is 7:25. here are a look at our top stories this morning. the bill to legalize same-sex marriage has failed in maryland at least for this year. after weeks of intense lobbying and debate, the votes for passage weren't there. the governor supported the bill and said he hoped for passage. maryland would have been the sixth state to legalize same-sex marriage. >> barbara mikulski wants to thank head start to highlight what cuts would mean to maryland children. they would refuse funding for head start by more than $12 million. the senators say if passed more than 2,000 of the state's 12,000 children currently served by head start would be kicked out of the program. >> in baltimore county more than 200 cuts could come to the school system. school officials say it could impact student achievement.

the superintendent says teachers may be reacting too soon. they do believe there will be larger classes. >> we need to develop those personal relationships. you know, i think when you have a larger class size it takes away from the teacher's ability to focus in on that student that needs some extra help or focus in on that student who is having a bad day. >> right now the numbers are not final. the council council will have its final say on the -- the county council will have a final say on the

>> good morning. pretty nice morning out there. we have sunshine. clouds to our north. snow into new york state. a disturbance in the great lakes may bring clouds in later today. it looks like the moisture and rain will stay to the north of us. take a look at the current conditions outside. it is 37 at the airport. humidity dune -- down. the barometer rising. a west wind at 7 miles per hour. our forecast today, the sun will be a big deal today. it will be nice. southwest winds 10 to 15. that tends to warm the atmosphere up a little bit. a little warmer than it was yesterday. sunset at 6:10. of course we do change the clocks. tomorrow morning's sunrise will be at 7:24. sunset will be after 7:00. so we are shifting a little. 55 today, tomorrow set your clocks ahead one hour.

by tuesday into wednesday we increase rain chances a bit, and by thursday close to 70. not bad. >> thanks, john. we're back with another update in 25 minutes. ♪ you are looking at the some of the chaos and devastation, the 8.9 magnitude earthquake in japan and then a 30-foot tsunami wave swept away homes, boats and entire community. rescuers are struggling to reach survivors and fear the death toll could reach 1,300. back inside studio 1a, i'm amy robak with carl quintanilla, in for lester. >> here is what we know right now. explosion at a nuclear power

station early saturday destroyed a building housing the reactor. there are fears of a meltdown as the reactor's pressure has been being. officials are measuring radiation levels in that area. coming up, the latest on the nuclear power plant. japan seemed to be prepared for the earthquake. drills constantly. but what about here in the united states? are we prepared for a quake of this magnitude? we'll look into that, coming up. plus, social media played a big part of the stories coming out of the earthquake zone. many tweeted prayers for tokyo or shared stories on facebook. coming up, one man at a baseball game outside of the city, and shared his story with the world on the web. but we begin with the risk of a nuclear meltdown at one power plant in the earthquake zone. radiation levels inside the control room at the facility are believed to now be 1,000 times normal. chief environmental correspondent anne thompson joins us live from london with the latest. anne, good morning. >> good morning, amy.

there is new information coming out of japan about that explosion that occurred at the tu fukushima 1 nuclear power plant. the metal container surrounding the reactor was not affected by the explosion. the blast destroyed the building that housed the nuclear reactor. the explosion did not increase the radiation leaking from the plant. in fact, he claims it is decreasing and he says the pressure in the reactor is decreasing as well. the reactor in question is the number one reactor in use since 1971. pressure in the reactor has been building since the quake happened and earlier in the day, officials released radioactive vapor from the reactor to try and bring down the pressure. there have also been radiation leaks at that reactor. as you said, amy, 1,000 times above normal have been detected in its control room and eight times above normal has been found outside the building. amy. >> anne thompson, thank you. we'll check in with you

throughout the morning as this part of the story unfolds. joining us with more is richard lester, head of the department of nuclear science and engineering at m.i.t. good morning. >> good morning. >> the word we've been hearing all morning long, meltdown, and the concerns surrounding the possibility that that could indeed happen. what is the possibility that we could see that happen? >> the latest information we have concerning the explosion is really very limited, and until we know where in the facility the explosion took place, it's a little difficult to make anything concrete out of what's happening. the question really is, did the explosion take place inside the containment, or did it take place in some adjacent part of the plant? the evidence or at least the report we just heard from the japanese government is that it took place somewhere outside the containment building. if that's true, there is still at least a possibility that the

operators of the plant are able to keep the fuel in the reactor vessel covered with water. that's the key thing here. we have to always keep the fuel in the core covered with water, because if it becomes uncovered, it will continue to generate heat, get very hot and then there would be the risk of a very significant risk of radio activity and possibility of melting of the fuel. >> can you give us a sense of what a meltdown would entail? what would happen in that process? >> one possibility is that the fuel or some part of the fuel in the core would melt d would gather at the bottom of the reactor vessel and would stay there. that is essentially what happened at the three-mile iceland nuclear power plant in 1979. there was no significant release

of radiotivity outside of the vessel. if a partial meltdown happens in the core, that's what we would hope to see. of course, let me emphasize that at this point, it's not at all clear that any melting of the fuel has taken place. >> richard, let me ask you this. with the concern surrounding this facility, i believe they have evacuated a six-mile radius around this plant. who would be ahead risk? how far would the affects reach? people in japan and tokyo, if this radiation leaks out could, it reach us and surrounding countries are concerned. how big of an impact could this plant have? >> well, again, it's of course very difficult to answer any of these questions definitively, because we don't have very much information, but the -- the

events as we have seen them in the last several hours, suggest there are very limited releases of radio activity from the plant, controlled releases thus far, and at the levels that appeared to be occurring, the levels of radiation that appear to be occurring at the plant, based on what we know. those two people living in the vicinity of the plant would seem likely to be fairly modest at this point. >> we know it is ever changing situation, richard lester, thank you for lending your expertise this morning. we appreciate it. >> you're very welcome. chris warren joins us now for a look at weather. a change over here, and better news? >> we can talk about better news for sure. the best spot to be, the southern half of the country. the warmest temperatures and that's where we'll find the majority of the sunshine. you can see right here, high pressure in the southeast going to brick temperatures in the

upper 60s and 70s, southwest looking really nice for good news. 83 in phoenix. meanwhile, temperatures in southern california in the upper 60s. honolulu, lower 80s today. and as we take a look at the upper midwest, we could have a few issues. wind possibly blowing around the snow. new snow, 1 to 3 inches. meanwhile, the northeast will see a few snow showers mainly in the northern locations, and then as we take a look at the pacific northwest, that's where we'll have the wet spots. >> good morning. it is a nice morning this morning. the sun is out. temperatures start in the 3's. rapidly climb into the 40's. up to the 50's later today. th

remains the soggy spot go to weather.com anytime for your local forecast or around the world. now here is amy. >> chris, thank you so much. coming up. distance warning. are we ready if an 8.9 earthquake hit the u.s.? witness to disaster. one man's story of survival in japan. but, first, these messages? introducing honey bunches of oats, raisin medley. there's nothing like it! the only cereal with 1, 2, 3 kinds of raisins and crunchy multigrain flakes.

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home, especially in california where earthquakes have taken a deadly toll in the past. is the state ready for one as powerful as this? nbc's george lewis reports. >> reporter: one out of five californians practice for the big one every year. a massive drill called the great shakeout, involving school kids, hospitals, first responders. so how well prepared is california? >> obviously, we have a long way to go. 4-5 people approximately that aren't participating as far as we know. >> reporter: even as the death toll mounts in japan, u.s. experts say the japanese earthquake early warning networks alert the people to take cover, saving lives. a capability we lack. >> we're years away from having that in california or in the u.s. >> reporter: the thing that most worries scientists is the threat of a huge earthquake along the southern end of the san andreas fault. california faces a 94% probability of a magnitude 7.0 or greater quake in the next 30

years. in one scenario, a quake measuring magnitude 7.8 would leave 1,800 people dead, would sever vital utility and transportation lifelines and cause billions in damage. as the los angeles county search and rescue team learned recently in new zealand, an earthquake doesn't have to be the big one to be deadly. the christchurch quake, magnitude 6.3 was close to the surface. >> the buildings resemble los angeles, california. there are buildings right next to buildings that are down that survived the earthquake. >> reporter: even with building codes in california that focus on seismic safety, many structures are still no match for violent quakes. among the 72 members of the california search and rescue team headed to japan, experts in flooding, because of all of the water caused by the tsunami.

george lewis, nbc news. >> could what happened in japan happen here? ken is with the u.s. geological survey. good morning to you. >> good morning, carl. >> is it a given that california is the most vulnerable part of the u.s. when it comes to the big one, so to speak? >> well, it's certainly one of the most vulnerable. alaska, the pacific northwest, and even the central part of the country are also at risk from earthquakes. >> you make the point, a couple of different faults. the california fault, san andreas, pacific northwest. what makes those two areas different? if we were going to see the big one, which one would most likely bring it? >> oh, well, when we say the big one, there are several different things that we mean. a big one like the big ear earthquake that just happened in japan would run most likely from the northern california to

vancouver. it could very much be like the situation in japan. the last big one was in 1700 and it us produced a tsunami like the one in japan and the one last year in chile. a very different kind of fault exists in california, where the plates move side by side with the san andreas fault. at most, we would have a magnitude 8 .1 or so in california. we looked carefully at a magnitude 7.8 on the southern san andreas fault. it's about a ten-mile deep rupture along several hundred mile long section at most, so the magnitude isn't as great as in these big subduction events. >> scientists say it's hard to predict when and where. is there a general time frame for when a large earthquake could happen off the coast of california or the pacific

northwest? >> well, the recurrence between these big earthquakes generally on the order of 150 to a few hundred years. the last one in the pacific northwest, 1700, over 300 years there. and on the southern part of the san andreas fault, over 300 years since the last big earthquake there. so generally speaking, we're -- some of my colleagues like to say we're overdue. that implies that earthquakes are fairly regularly, and unfortunately, they are not. they are highly irregular. >> as we've seen over the past few months, coming in a bunch in the past year. ken, thank you for your time. ken with the u.s. geological survey. and we're back with more after these messages. happy birthday to you. happy birthday to you.

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american jason cosprey was covering a professional japanese baseball game in yokohama when the quake hit. he joins us via skype from his home. good morning. >> good morning. >> it was the seventh inning from what i understand when you felt the rumbling.

explain what happened. >> first, it started to shake just a little bit. since we have some earthquakes here in japan, nobody really thought much of it. it kept going, it kept going. a lot of the other press members started looking around at each other. we saw both teams run into the middle of the field. so we ran into the middle of the field too. >> jason, i was going to ask you how the players reacted. it was in the middle of the play when this started happening? >> it was right after an out. a guy on deck. and right when the earthquake started. so they were waiting. >> wow. i know there were nearly 4,000 fans in the stands when that happened. i can only imagine, there was probably a sense of chaos once they realized, hey, this wasn't a small tremor, this is the real deal. >> yes, because once we got on the field, we turned around, we could see the stands. they were swaying left to right, left to right. people holding on to the rails, trying not to fall off.

it was a pretty scary sight to look at. >> how long did it last, jason? >> i think initially it felt like it lasted maybe four or five minutes and then it stopped and then it started shaking again for a couple more minutes, and then we had a little aftershocks throughout the rest of the night basically. >> i understand, jason, you made it back to your home today just outside of tokyo, we've heard the reports of damage and how difficult it is to get around tokyo and japan as a whole. what was your trip like back home and what did you see? >> the trip back home was actually -- it was uneventful really, i guess thankfully uneventful. it took a lot than it usually takes. and the trains seemed to be running a lot slower. as far as dang here, we didn't see too much damage where i live. >> pretty incredible. and how would you describe this experience? you say you felt other earthquakes since you've been there. how did this one compare. >> this one was the top.

i never felt anything like that before. every other earthquake i've felt, it shakes and it's a bit unsettling the longer it goes. this one kept going, kept going, started shaking really hard. this is the most violent earthquake i've ever been around. and a lot of players, the japanese players were saying the same thing. never been in anything like this either. >> what's it like now for you? you said thankfully there is not a lot of damage where you are. what is the feeling there as you go out on the streets? >> kind of tense i think. everyone -- we keep getting reports that there will be aftershocks, everyone bracing themselves for that. you go to the convenience store. a lot of food is gone. a lot of people in the streets. right now, the atmosphere is kind of tense, and then, of course, everyone is watching what's going on up in myagi where the serious damage was. >> we're glad you and the others on that baseball field made it

out all right. thank you and best of luck. >> we are back. but first, this is "today" on nbc.

still to come on "today," wavers of destruction. live reports from japan on the deadly earthquake and tsunami. plus, the nuclear plant blast and now the threat of a possible nuclear meltdown. but, first, these messages. plain was the same as it ever was the same. plainly plain... samely same... but then...someone lit the flame. plain rode away on lion's mane. where plain met fruits with strangely names. such wonderful things they did contain. a shot of life to a hungry vein. the captive beast who broke the chain.

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i'm jennifer franciotti. it is 7:55. the suspect wanted in a new york city homicide case has been caught in millersville. anne arundel county police were pursuing 42-year-old michael kenny when they caught up with him on the westbound route of 32 near route 3. ken yes is -- kenny is wanted for stabbing his wife several times inside a new york hair salon. denise kenny died at the hospital. both from queens, new york. >> police looking for two men they say are responsible for shooting a gas station employee in february. authorities have released this surveillance picture of one of the suspects. if you have information are you asked to call baltimore county police. >> charges dropped against the man accused of road rage. 26-year-old james king of severn charged in the death of calvin young. young was shot and killed as he waited for a stop light at route

1. prosecutors say king was found mentally unstable to stand trial. new evidence shows mn someone else may be responsible for the murder. >> a man left in grave condition. authorities say the victim was on a moped when he crashed into a truck. it happened around 4:00 on the 2200 block of mchenry street. the victim was taken to shock trauma. the exact cause is still under investigation.

>> good morning. it is a nice morning out there. the sun is shining. we do see a few clouds developing to our south and off to the west. there is a disturbance over the great lakes moving eastward. most of the rain will be to the north of us. some clouds could sweep through today. that will be mixed with the sunshine. basically, thaze fair -- basically this is a fair-weather forecast. southwest winds 10 to 15. tends to hold temperatures up when they come out of the mountains. 55 to 60 for the high. sunset this evening is at 6:10. we changed the clocks so tomorrow evening it will be a little after 7:00. forecast for the weekend is good one. 59 today for the high. 55 on sunday. a little cooler dry monday. then tuesday into wednesday, we have more clouds and a chance for rain. at the end of the week, we'll be closer to 70 for the high. just a reminder again, daylight savings starts tomorrow.

we spring ahead. set your clocks forward tobt tonight -- tonight. >> thank you john. we're back in 25 minutes for another update. you are looking at a smoking and burning nuclear power plant in japan where the roof has collapsed and the threat of meltdown is mounting, after friday's earthquake and new hampshire devastates the country, killing hundreds of people. back in studio 1a, i'm amy robak with carl quintanilla, filling in for lester holt. it appears the situation has grown even worse. >> two nuclear plants may have been compromised. a fire reported at one of two nuclear power plants near the epicenter. reports of injuries and radiation levels soaring both

inside and outside the plant. >> reports put the death toll at 1,300, but authorities say that number may climb in the hours and days ahead. hundreds unaccounted for, and untold numbers of people stranded. rescue efforts under way to reach those people. >> officials say they have lost contact with four trains since the disaster. japan has sent 50,000 troops to the ravaged region to help with rescue and recovery, but judging from the pictures we've sceeen, not just the waves, but today's pictures, it will be extremely difficult. >> we had our own reporter struggle to get to the epicenter to get a sense of the damage we're talking about. let's begin with what could be, unfortunately, the next disaster in japan. fears of a nuclear meltdown. a massive explosion at one power plant in japan. reports that the roof has been blown off, walls have collapsed. chief environmental correspondent anne thompson tracking developments all morning long from london.

good morning once again. >> good morning, amy. a japanese government official says the explosion at the fukushima 1 nuclear power plant did not damage the troubled number one reactor. the steel container surrounding the reactor was not impacted. the official insists that the radiation leaking from the plant and pressure inside the reactor are actually decreasing in the wake of the explosion. pressure in reactor number one has been on the rise since the quake happened. to release some of the pressure, earlier today, officials released radioactive vapor from the reactor. there are also radiation leaks at the reactor. levels 1,000 times above normal have been detected in the control room and eight times above normal outside the building. one nuclear official says the plant is now releasing every hour the amount of radiation a person normally absorbs in a year. this morning, japanese officials have expanded the evacuation area from residents from six miles to 15. reactor number one is designed

by general electric, part owner of nbc universal. amy. >> anne thompson, thank you so much. and richard lester, head of the department of nuclear sciences and engineering at m.i.t. good morning. >> good morning. >> right now, there isn't a lot of information coming out of japan in terms of what may actually be happening at this nuclear facility. what is your biggest fear? what is your biggest concern at this point? >> well, i think there are really three concerns. most important, the question is whether the operators have control of the situation at the unit 1 reactor at fukushima. is the containment building intact? the report from the japanese government officials says that it is. unfortunately, there is limited information available to be able to verify that point, but as long as the containment remains intact, there is some reason to hope that there will not be

large releases of radio activity. that's the first concern, though, that the containment remain intact. the second concern is -- has to do with the ability of the operators to keep the full control of the other reactors at the site. when you have explosion on the scale that we've just seen, one has to ask questions about whether the operators are able to maintain control in the adjacent facilities. i hope the answer is yes. it may very well be yes, but that is another area of concern. >> richard, the word people keep using and this is the big fear factor here, that there could be a meltdown at this facility. what is the possibility that this could indeed, happen? >> well, a meltdown is certainly a possibility at this point. but i think it's important to

say that fuel melting, while it may occur, would not necessarily lead to significant releases of radiation offsite. that is actually what happened, people may remember at the three-mile islands nuclear reactor in 1979. a significant fraction of the fuel in the core actually did melt, but it remained in the reactor vessel and there was no large release of radiation into the environment. that is certainly a scenario, it may not be the -- the best scenario that we're looking at here, but it would not be the worst one. >> obviously, an ongoing situation. we're monitoring it closely. richard lester, thaw, we appreciate your time. >> you're very well.

>> and we found it is impossible to reach some parts of japan. ian, good morning to you. >> good morning, carl. the threat of a nuclear disaster comes as japan is only beginning grasp the full and terrible extent of the destruction from friday's tsunami. japan woke today to images of terrible destruction along the northwest coast this country has done more than any other to prepare for this disaster. nothing could lessen the shock of these scenes. towns slammed by friday's 30-foot tsunami. swept away houses, cars, ships, just about everything in its path. officials have warned the death toll is expected to exceed 1,300 people. most of them drowned. 300 bodies were found outside of

sendai, the city closest to the epicenter of the 8.9 quake. helicopters are plucking desperate survivors of rooftops of homes engulfed by water. at least 300 people waiting to be rescued from this hospital, where they had been marooned amid the ruins. we tried to escape by car this woman said, but we were caught in the waves and washed away here. other survivors huddled into shelters where they were able to receive basic provisions. many buildings, including an oil refinery, were still burning today. the u.s. geological survey says japan's main island have shifted by about eight feet as a result of the quake. there have been at least 125 powerful aftershocks in the last 24 hours. even before today's explosion at a nuclear power plant, the authorities have declared a state of emergency at five nuclear reactors and warned of a

meltdown. thousands have been evacuated from their homes nearby. and officials had insisted that while there would be radiation leaks it would be small. scores of countries have offered assistance, including the u.s., which has almost 50,000 troops stationed in japan, carl. >> ian, we keep hearing about the transportation network being disabled. we're seeing cars move behind you. how easy to get around tokyo right now? >> well, downtown tokyo isn't a problem. cars are moving, and, of course, this is the weekend now. the real problem is getting between the major -- the major cities, particularly in the north. it took us 2 1/2 hours just to get from the airport narita airport, the main tokyo airport, because of disruption of the trains and blockages on the highway. getting to the main area affected by the quake and tsunami is even more difficult. only 150 miles or so north of

tokyo, but it's been taking 16, 17, 20 hours to get there by road, partly because of the congestion, but also because of the damage to those roads caused by the quake. although we hoped, of course, that will improve over coming days, carl. >> it gives you the sense of a challenge that rescue workers will have as they try to get to that area. ian williams, thank you very much. live from tokyo. an american was on a train traveling to the tokyo airport when the quake hit. she joins us via skype. good morning to you. >> good morning. >> we wondered if we would talk to you on the phone or via skype. have you made it back to your apartment? >> i was able to make it back. as mentioned, it is still very difficult to travel within the city and so the route that i took, which would normally take half an hour, took me 2 1/2 hours because of the lines at the train inside the city. >> take us back to yesterday.

we've talked to people in an apartment, for instance, or who were on the street. you were in a train. were you in motion? if so, what did it feel like? >> i was on benrita express, a train nah goes from the city to the airport, and at first i thought it was a train crash. it was a huge shake and it wasn't really until i looked outside to see everything else moving, and then looked around the train to see everyone standing up and wondering what was happening, it was only at that point i realized it was actually an earthquake. and we thought it was over within a minute, but then we were hit with another even harder quake a few minutes after. >> and then we keep hearing reports of aftershocks. some witnesses count them in the hundreds. how many do you think you've been through? how serious have they been? >> it's been awful. for the first 12 hours or so, i think it was every five or ten minutes. i think most people around tokyo didn't get much sleep last night.

we had a big one around 3:00 in the morning. and then at 5:00 in the morning. and they seem to lessen today, until we had another strong one in the early afternoo so i think tokyo has realized this is not quite over yet. >> what is the mood and environment like back where you live? we heard a lot of convenience stores, shelves are empty, people worried about food supply now, concerns about nuclear facilities. is there panic in the streets, or not? >> i wouldn't say it's panic, but i think people are very nervous that even though they are trying to do the best to prepare, it's quite hard to do so. the government has advised we stay indoors, have food supplies, have flashlights in case of blackouts. i tried to go shopping today for some supplies. the large store in my neighborhood was completely sold out of flashlights with lots of people walking past the empty shelves. people are waiting in long lines to buy food.

a lot of stores as you said are sold out. it seems like some people have gotten late preparing and are nervous now they won't be ready in the case of a blackout or if the nuclear situation gets worse. >> you obviously were not able to get to las vegas, which is why you were going to the airport in the first place. is that trip on indefinite hold? does any part of you wish you could leave japan for good right now? >> well, i am disappointed that i had to miss my friend's bachelorette party. but i can't really focus on that. definitely one of the lucky ones to be quite near the center of tokyo, unharmed, and even though it seemed maybe like a good idea to leave tokyo, at this point i think probably the safest thing to do is just stay home. >> well, you've had an amazing and traumatic couple of days, maya, thank you for sharing a few minutes with us. >> thank you.

>> manya fromer, from tokyo. >> i imagine on a train, you would feel trapped. >> and then stranded at a hotel, wondering if you can get back. >> yeah, glad she made it home safe and sound. now to the news desk with trish regan. i-95 on new york. 13 people have been killed after a horrific bus crash. we are joined on the phone with more. good morning, jonathan dean. what is the latest? do we know at this point what caused the accident? >> we know this bus went sliding, literally through a support pole off of i- 5. the major corridor here along the east coast and the highway was shut down with dozens of emergency vehicles responding to the scene. as you said 13 dead. 6 others critically wounded. in all, 32 passengers on that bus. we are told the bus was en route

from connecticut from the mohegan sun casino and was en route to chinatown in new york city, when this accident occurred. we are told there was a 911 call to police saying that a tractor-trailer was seen cutting the bus off and that's what caused this accident. the investigation continues, but, again, 13 dead, 6 critical. we spoke with one city official who says they are concerned this death toll could rise, because the six critically wounded passengers are in very bad shape. as you can see, literally, the top half of that bus nearly sheared off. the investigation continuing. >> really tragic. jonathan, where is that tractor-trailer that ran into the bus? are they looking for the driver? >> we know that based on that initial 911 call, yes, they are reviewing cameras and trying to

find that driver to see what information he may have about this accident. but no confirmation that a truck caused this, just that they are looking into it. >> anything actually known about the tour bus driver? >> we are told the driver is one of the survivors and in stable condition. that will be helpful as police will be able to question him and ask him what happened, and what might have caused this accident. but among the 13 dead and 6 critical, all appear to be passengers riding in the bus coming back from that casino. >> thank you very much for the update. wnbc jonathan dienst. and governor scott walker signed into law a controversial bill which drastically weakens the state's public employee unions. walker says it was necessary to balance the budget and prevent layoffs. 14 democratic senators who skipped town because they

refused to vote are expected at today's rally. and the nfl is looking at a possible strike for the first time in more than 20 years. the national football league owners locked out the players when labor talks broke off. they are at odds with how to divy up $9 billion in revenue. some of the biggest names have filed a class auction lawsuit against the league. keep your fingers crossed we'll see football this fall. amy, carl, and chris. >> it's hard when you have trouble divying up $9 billion. chris warren with a check of the forecast. >> most of the activity in the country will be in the northern portion. snow showers and rainshowers in the upper midwest, great lakes, northeast, one system moving out. most of the cities looking

pretty good. nice spots is the southern half of the country, where we'll have most of the sunshine and that's also where we'll have the warmest temperatures. plenty of 60s and 70s, meanwhile, coldest temperatures in the northern tier of the country from the upper midwest to the great lakes and the northeast as well. the northwest is still looking on the wet side. that's >> good morning. here's our tower cam view. looking over the southwest part of the city. beautiful morning today. we'll be warming up nicely through the 40's into the 50's this afternoon, and we'll pick up a few sca that's a look at your forecast. now here is carl. >> milestones for gabi giffords.

the latest on her remarkable recovery after the shooting in tucson. back after this. [ female announcer ] chef boyardee whole grain beefaroni. the taste kids love. [ whispering ] with whole grain pasta. shh.

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here at home, many community remain underwater after days of torrential rain that caused widespread flooding. one of the hardest hit areas is little falls, new jersey. that's where the weather channel's eric fisher joins us liver. good morning, eric. >> good morning, amy. certainly the water has been a big problem in northern new jersey. still rising in little falls. this just one neighborhood.

using it as a poster child in morning. but dozens of neighborhoods look just like in this morning, and the water expected to rise as much as a foot. the passaic river, right across the street, flowing well out of its banks, expected to crest between 5:00 and 8:00 this evening. it will be in almost the exact same spot as last year. two years in a row with severe flooding in this part of the country. good news. dry weather in the forecast. we also have every other river in northern new jersey starting to drop now, up in compton lakes, where they saw severe flooding, the river is dropping rapidly. improvements for the ends of the weekend. >> we're back, but first, this is "today" on nbc.

still to come on "today," more on the explosion at the nuclear plant in japan.

and more details on the massive tsunami that followed. first, these messages. my sister's new boyfriend told her that he thinks sundays are just for watching football. believe that? [ thinking ] relax. you ordered off mcdonald's dollar menu at breakfast. everything's so good and just a buck. so go. he's a jerk. [ thinking ] the simple joy of being smart. ♪

>> good morning. i'm jennifer franciotti.

it is 8:25. here is a look at our top stories for you this morning. the bill to legally recognize same-sex marriage in maryland has failed at least for this year. after weeks of intense lobbying and debate, the votes for passage weren't there, and the legislation was sent back to a house committee. governor o'malley said he would support the bill and hoped it would pass. senators mikulski and cardin visited head-start to highlight what cuts would mean to maryland. cuts would reduce head start by $12 million. senators mikulski and cardin say if passed 2,000 of the state's children currently served by head start will be kicked out of that program. >> chesapeake county got a boost from a high-tech global security company. it came in the form of a check from lockheed martin.

lockheed martin said students will spent some of the money for competition. the school has one of the district's top s.t.e.m. schools. >> a programming note to pass on to you. the president of the baltimore branch of the naacp will be our guest for the sunday morning q & a. if you have a question for the naacp question you can e-mail us at sundayquestions@www.wbaltv.com. >> and we're

>> good morning. days sunny morning this morning. temperatures above freezing to start the day. we'll rapidly warm up with sunshine. this disturbance in the great lakes will be moving across the area today. the precipitation will stay north of us. so it is just the clouds that may come into the picture. the rest of the weekend looks nice and dry. so our forecast, sun and eventually clouds coming into the mix. 55 to 60 for the high today. a little above what will be considered the seasonal average. sunset this evening at 6:10. of course it rises later, too. our forecast shall the seven days worth. tomorrow plenty of sunshine. scattered clouds. we do pick up more sunshine on monday. 50 for the high. rain chances. maybe early morning snow. tuesday in wednesday morning. by the end of the week, a shower.

daylight savings time goes in effect tonight. so tonight before you go to bed, set your clock ahead by one hour. >> thanks, john, for the >> thanks, john, for the reminder. beyond belief, the images out of japan, where the death toll is climbing following yesterday's massive earthquake and tsunami. right now, there are fears of another disaster for the country. back inside studio 1a, i'm amy robak with carl quintanilla, in for lester holt. the waves of the tsunami, 30 feet high. >> incredible. hard to imagine. we're following the latest on the catastrophe. here is what we know. a huge explosion reported at a nuclear power plant near the epicenter. evacuations ordered in that

area. several other nuclear power plants also affected by the quake. >> 1,300 people killed, hundreds of others remain missing. as ian williams reported earlier, it's nearly impossible to travel north of the city. it could hamper rescue efforts under way. you can see why roads would simply be impassable. >> people in the area may have been able to get back home, but store shelves empty, worried about enough understood for the coming weeks and fires are raining down material on neighborhoods. that's not good either. >> you can only imagine the panic people feel. we will continue our coverage from japan coming up in just a little while. >> right now, a check of the weather from chris warren who joins us. >> good morning to both of you. a lot of sad stories in the news. here in the plaza we find good stories. that's happy birthday. 12th birthday in new york city. what's your name? >> ellen.

>> i hope you enjoy it. it's a little chilly out here. let's take a look at the forecast across the country. most of the activity in the northern part of the country. we'll have the coldest temperatures as well. we'll see an area of low pressure move across the great lakes. one system out of northeast. meanwhile, southern half of the country looking nice. changes things up a bit. southern plains, storms firing off. and much of the eastern seaboard looking nice. the west getting pounded with heavy rain and that includes san francisco all the way up the i-5 corridor into seattle. and look at texas, though. it will be warm. if you need to get away, head south this time. you will see nice temperatures as well in >> good morning. it is a nice morning this morning. the sun is out. temperatures start in the 3's. rapidly climb into the 40's. up to the 50's later today.

that's what's happening with your local forecast. now back to you, carl. the magnitude 8.9 earthquake is the latest catastrophe on the pacific rim. an area called the ring of fire. how the affects can be felt here in this country. tom costello explains. >> this occurred on the pacific ring of fire, a 25,000-mile string of volcanic and seismic activity right here. 90% of the world's earthquakes and 80% of the tsunamis happen right within that ring of fire. the most recent one was in christchurch, new zealand. right there last month. japan sits up to the north of

that, of course. but it comes at the intersection of the eurasian, philippine, and pacific plates. all of them coming together. this earthquake was right there, 80 miles offshore. the edge of the pacific plate, it kind of got wedged, got caught underneath the you'euras plate. that's called subduction. the grinding of plates that pushes up the ocean floor, which generates massive shock waves in laymen's terms. it can ripple out and create the actual tsunami. traveling 500 miles per hour. the tsunami, as you can see, hits the continental shelf right there. and waves can bunch up and get much higher. and as the tsunami hits landfall, the impact can be absolutely devastating. we wanted to show you a wave projection from noaa, showing you what wave heights would be. color coded. the black, off the coast of japan, where the waves were the highest, 30 feet there. the tsunami then travels on east, 500 miles per hour or so,

hawaii, right there, 3,800 miles away. the waves there were about 7 to 8 feet high. minimal damage. and then we saw the tsunami continue on towards t s the pac u.s. coast. japan the most earthquake prone nation in the world, one of the most. and it accounts for 20% for all quakes greater than 6.0. back to you. >> thank you, tom costello. all morning we've talked with meshamericans that experie the quake. dante, good morning to you. >> good morning. how are you, carl? >> good. you were at a meeting in starbucks when the quake happened. >> yes, i was in tokyo, and we were in the middle of a immediameeting, 2:00, 2:30 in the afternoon and roughly 2:30, everything around us started shaking, and people

thought it was the construction going on across the street, but as everyone looked outside, even the construction site and workers had evacuated the area. it quickly got worse and worse. i have been here for several years, i'm used to aftershocks and things. this is the worst i've ever experienced since being here. >> when did you know this one was different? a point when you were unable to stand? >> basically, parts of signs and things that were outside that either collapsed or were moving. also, everyone was evacuating the building. and it didn't stop. normally, the aftershocks last anywhere from about 10 seconds to about 2 minutes, and it lasted a good 5 to 7 minutes straight. and at that point, everybody moved toward the inner part of the building or outside. >> it must have felt like an eternity. you have been living in japan for many years, you have

prepared emergency pacts for the event of a quake. that you will be donating to residents. did those come in handy? what supplies did you save? and what do you need now? >> right now, there are pacts, dry food, canned food, which is also prepared in ziplocs. some flashlights, blankets, clothing, t-shirts, things of that nature. and some first aid equipment as well. from here, we can't do anything yet, because they have actually shut down the emergency systems for delivery until tomorrow morning, mainly because most of the roads are closed. japan is 10% out of power, so a lot of the power is being pulled from the southern part of japan up into tokyo. also, since -- up until 8:30 this morning, from yesterday afternoon, we've had 125

aftershocks, and as i was actually waiting for you all, i ended up experiencing another four aftershocks since then, and we still have warnings going on. so it's -- it's pretty tense here. >> my thoughts are with you, dante, with your family, with your neighbors, all of japan. >> thank you. i appreciate it. coming up, the remarkable recovery of gabi giffords, but first, these messages. you're smiling. and when they're laughing... you're laughing. be kind to your eyes... with transitions lenses. transitions adapt to changing light so you see your whole day comfortably... and conveniently while protecting your eyes from the sun. ask your eyecare professional which transitions lenses are right for you.

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share with you about congresswoman gabi griff fords. her doctors say her recovery is nothing short but remarkable. janet shamlian with more. >> reporter: the news as good as anyone could have hoped for. >> i'm very happy to report that she is making leaps and bounds in terms of neurological recovery. >> reporter: doctors say they removed giffords' tracheotomy this week, and she was excited about reaching that milestone. >> she gave a pumped fist response when the trach came out. >> reporter: they expect to reattach the part of giffords skull removed after the shooting. now give fosffords knows why sh here, how she was hurt, and what happened in january. it is part of the recovery

process. she does not know about the other victims. there is tremendous progress in all areas, from her speech to her ability to walk with help. >> she's already starting to speak in full sentences when she wants. for example, she says, you know, i'm tired. i want to go to bed. just like that. >> reporter: giffords' husband, astronaut mark kelly visits each morning, and then goes to the space center for training. there is much talk of give fords attending the launch in florida. >> we'll be assessing this over the next few weeks. but we think there is a good possibility they she will be there. >> reporter: the trip could be a much-needed psychological boost. an important milestone on a long road, much of the still to be traveled. for "today," janet shamlian, houston. >> and now we're joined from the hero intern that helped save

giffords life on that january morning. >> good morning. >> you hear the doctors say that she made leaps and bounds in terms of progress. did you ever think we'd be talking about that kind of progress this soon? >> with the congresswoman, i'm never really surprised with the way she's been recovering, because she's always been one to exceed expectations. i think those of us who know her are not surprised that she's making such a remarkable and quick recovery. >> one of the great things that we heard in the press conference is the doctors describing the first pump she made when they took out the tracheostomy. is that giffords you know? >> that's the gabi i know. always ready to fight and keep going. >> she has made obvious physical recovery, exceeding the doctors'

expectations. she's been told now why she is in the hospital. but some details have been omitted in terms of other victims. what do you think that gabi should know at this point? what would you tell her? >> i think whatever mark and the doctors over in houston are telling her, it's probably what she needs to know right now. i am not there. i don't know what exactly this has been told. making sure that it's something slow, to make sure that as she's recovering, emotionally and physically, they are able to prepare her for everything. >> you were there with her there that day, you saved her life. you have been obviously recognized by so many people. have you been able to speak to gabi or to her family and have a real close connection in terms of her recovery? >> i have been in constant contact with the office of the congresswoman, so i'm receiving

some updates. >> how are you coping? you went through a lot. seeing what you saw, and i'm sure just reacting with the instincts you have and the skills you had thankfully. how have you handled the past two months? >> the last two months have been a little bit of a whirlwind, but i -- i feel much better when i hear news of the congresswoman recovering as quickly as she has, but also when i got word about something that's coming up next week, which is a partnership between the office of the congresswoman and the american red cross, which is going to be called the gabriel giffords save a life saturday, so hearing things like that make me feel very happy and very excited to -- to be able to have been there and to promote those -- this event, because knowing congresswoman giffords, such a positive person and she would want some good to come out of what happens on january 8th. >> you inspired that initiative, because you did have the skills to save her life.

real quickly, do you think gabi will make it to her husband's launch? >> i think everyone is pulling for her to be there, because we all know it would be very good for both mark and for the congresswoman to be this there. >> certainly we hope she will be there. thank you for your time. we'll be back. but, first, this is "today" on nbc.

we told you earlier that lester holt is en route to japan. lester holt just arrived. he joins us on the phone. you have made it to the airport. and tell us what you are already hearing, what you're seeing there? >> reporter: well, we're walking off the jet bridge, amy and when we walked out into the terminal, the man in front of me froze and got a look of horror on his face, and the colleague was speaking japanese, and be

careful of aftershocks. there was one probably about the time we were touching down. the man is about to drive us into the city, about 15, 20 minutes ago. minor aftershocks, hurrying us along, afraid they are going to close the roads again. the airport, pretty normal. it's sort of odd seeing a crowded terminal and then seeing the monitors with 1,700 feared dead. very odd scene. we'll find out for ourselves in a moment what traffic is like. and we'll be doing "nbc nightly news" from here tonight. >> it's carl what are your hopes in terms of coverage tonight. we've heard of difficulties of getting from city to city and especially close to where the most damage is. >> reporter: well, tokyo has had some damage, but clearly not the epicenter. there is some damage here. i was talking to some journalist

colleagues a moment ago. the rules are different here. a lot of us covered war zones and disasters, but the nuclear plant is a real game changer in how you cover a story like this. we have to get the lay of the land. 150 miles north of us. not an issue in tokyo, but as we look forward to the days ahead, that will be a big part. something you don't associate with an earthquake, one more wrinkle to this calamity. >> lester, you are a veteran reporter and we look forward to "nightly news" this evening. stay safe. >> thank you, amy. >> we'll be back, but first these messages. ♪ countin' the days till friday night ♪ ♪ that's when all the conditions are right for a good time ♪ [ male announcer ] advanced technology that helps provide cleaner air, cleaner water, and helps make all of us more energy efficient is something the whole world can get in step with. [ static ] ♪ i need a good time [ male announcer ] ecomagination from ge. it's technology that makes the world work.

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and the life you want to live. that does it for us on this saturday. tomorrow, the latest on the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami in japan. >> we'll leave you with the sights and sounds from japan over the past few days. >> unreal. >> constant shaking in the city. the shaking got worse and worse. >> i had to fall to my knees and just hold on tight. >> i don't know exactly how long it lasted. it seemed like it went on forever. >> it just kind of a cold fear.

where i didn't -- i didn't have an exit plan. >> you can see skyscrapers all around swaying more or less like trees in the wind. >> everyone in tokyo is severely rattled. they have felt the ground turn very wobbly. >> the country's most powerful earthquake on record, generating tsunami waves along the coast. 200 to 300 unidentified bodies have been found. >> live, local, latebreaking -- this is wbal-tv 11 news today, in baltimore. >> good morning.

i am jennifer franciotti. >> i am lisa robinson. baltimore city police are investigating an accident. authorities say a victim was on a moped when he crashed with a truck. the victim was taken to shock trauma. the cause is under investigation. maryland state police say they have completed their investigation into an abandoned car that led to the suspension terrence mclarney. the vehicle was found sunday night. investigators said he was on his way home from work when the car slipped off of the roadway. they have found no reason to charge him. the investigation has been turned over to baltimore city police. as many as 200 cots could be coming to baltimore county

schools. school officials say they have to tighten their belts, which means cutting positions. >> we need to develop personal race -- relationships. when you have a larger class sizes, it takes away from the teachers ability to focus in on the student that needs extra help, or is having a bad day. >> as of right now, the numbers are not final. the county council will have the final say on the spending plan at a later date. >> coming up, dr. kim hammond hands -- has answers. >> it is no for same-sex marriage in maryland. >> "baltimore magazine" is here with the best restaurants in town. >> the sunshine is out. the temperature is up to 45 degs

[captioning made possible by constellation energy group] captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org-- >> live, local, latebreaking -- this is wbal-tv 11 news saturday morning. >> welcome to 11 news. i am lisa robinson. >> i am jennifer franciotti. outside, it is not too bad. >> two days ago it was awful. >> we will take this. >> the whole weekend will be nice. let's look at our radar. there is